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Dyer: M.D. Student Illustrates City’s Promise

Dyer: M.D. Student Illustrates City’s Promise

COMMUNITY Posted on: March 4, 2013 by Wendy Sarubbi

Jon Beilan, a charter class student at the College of Medicine, was highlighted as an example of the promise shown by Medical City during Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s State of the City Address on February 26.

In telling the story of Orlando’s progress and partnership, Mayor Dyer highlighted local residents, including small business owners, Neighborhood Watch leaders and community volunteers.

As he described the city’s rebound from a devastating recession, he reported that Orlando’s Medical City “has come to life,” noting that it is expected to produce more than 30,000 jobs and create almost $8 billion in annual economic activity by 2017.

“But we don’t have to wait that long to see its positive impacts,” Mayor Dyer said as he introduced Jon and asked him to stand. “Four years ago I had a chance to see this UCF graduate receive the white coat he is wearing today,” the mayor said, adding that Jon and his other charter class students will graduate May 17 and “begin their medical careers with the training they received in Orlando.”

The past few weeks have been busy ones for Jon, who graduated in 2009 with an undergraduate degree from the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and was a member of the UCF President’s Leadership Council. He entered the nation’s early Match for urology residencies and was selected to join the University of South Florida’s highly competitive residency program.

Jon said being the only person in a white coat “in a sea of blue and black suites was a bit intimidating. But even before the speech began I realized how special the coat made me. Strangers came up to me to introduce themselves, shake my hand, and ask about the College of Medicine and my education. It was clear how supportive everyone was of the COM, and how proud they were of my classmates and me.

“Being part of the speech made me proud to represent the UCF College of Medicine and all the more grateful to the Orlando community."